Controller for alternating-current motors.



A SIMDN.

CUNTROLLER FOR ALTERNATIfiG CURRENT MQTORS.

EPPLIGATXOH FILED JUNE 1.1909.

1,1 32,71 Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. SIMON.

CONTROLLER FOR ALTERNATING CURRENT MOTORS.

APPL'iGA'IiON FILED HEN}; L190?! 1,1 32,74 1. Patented. Man 23. 1915.

.7 19 @maammfi 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR SIMON, or MILWAUKEE/WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 TIE-IE;

GU TLER-.HA M HER MFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 6F WISCUNSIN.

cournoninn FOR .imnanariuocuannnr morning-s.

Application filed June 1, 1908.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTH R Snuou, a citizen of the United States. residing at lillilwaulwe, in the county of Milwaukee and State or" lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Imprmements in Controllers for Al. ternating-Current Motors, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in controllers for alternating current motors and more particularly to controllers for induction motors. In the control of such motors, resistances or other current rerhicing means are commonly inserted in each phase of the secondary circuit thereof for protect ing the motor in starting. The resistances, or other current reducing means, are. then removedt'rom circuit either by manual. or automatic means to bring the motor up to normal speed. \Vith such controllers it frequently occurs that the acceleration of the motor is so retarded under a heavy load as to cause abnormal conditions in the secondary circuit it the resistances, or other current reducing means, are removed from circuit in the ordinary course. In other Words. if the resistances, or other current reducing means, are disconnected from eir cuit Within a predetermined time, or at predetermined intervals, regardless of the load on the motor, it may happen that the load is so great as to retard the :u-celeration of the motor, thereby causing excessive surges of current through the windings thereof.

It is, therefore, the object of my invention to provide protecting means for preventing the o a1rrence of such abnormal conditions, regardless of the load on the motor.

A further Object of my invention is to render the protecting means responsive to abnormal conditions in the secondar cir. cuit instead of those in the primary circuit, inasmuch as the variations in the electrical conditions in. the motor occur first in the secondary circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a controller having the characteris tics above mentioned which will he particularly applicable to motors having polyphase secondary circuits. g

Various other objects and advantages of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented um. 23, iti'lii.

Serial No. 499.345.

my invention will he hereinafter fully and clearly set forth. i

In order to more clearly disclose t e ture of my in ention, i shall desci. the embodiments thereof illustrated in t eceompanying drawings.

i course, my invention is suscegtitihie of various modifications.

In the drawing, Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates one embodiment of my ire vention as applied to a motor having a. three phase secondary circuit; Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically one embodiment of my invention as applied to a motor having a two phase secondary circuit; and Fig: I? and l illustrate one form of relay deviite which i have Worked out in practice.

The controller diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 includes a main switch It for controlling the primary circuit of the motor illustrated, the motor is pro-- vided with a three primary circuit, and with slip rings 3, 4 and 5, each 01'. which is connected in a, separate phase of the secondary circuit. It should be understood. luiiwever, that my invention is applicahle to various other forms of motors than that illustrated. The controller also includes am celerating switches 3, and and protect ing devices or relays 9, it) and ll. in nractice. I prefer to provide a separate iii;- device for each of the accelerating switches. As will he hm'einat'tsr :1; forth, the relay devices i it) one it control the aceelerat I suiti-hes l3. 7 and 8 respectively. In practice. the main snitch and the accelerating switches may he of any preferred type. hut, for the purpose of iihasiration, i have i wn all o l the iii-hes ol' the same genera: construction. The main swijth 1 comprises a pair of contact members 12 and 3 suitably connected to the plunger of an actuating winding 14. Each of the members I? and i3 connected in a dilihrcnt phase. of the primary circuit. The core of the operating winding it of the main switch 'ei'erahiy provided with .t tail rod carrying contact disks 15 and. in. each adapted to engage a pair of statimzary contat when the mai'i. switch 1 is ciosed. The purpose oi these contact disks will he hereinafter forth. The accelerating switches it 7 and Q ar e vided with operating: indings 6 2 respectively. The plzhn ers of th wi a contactzili i adapted to engage a pair of stationary contacts when its respective accelerating switch is opened. The plungers of the windings 7 and 8" also carry contact disks l8 and 19 respectiicly, each adapted to engage a pair of stationary contacts when its respective accelerating switch is closed. The switches 6, 7 and 8 are arranged to control sets of resistance sections, or other current reducing means, 2O, '21 and '22 respectively. Each set of resistances includes three sections, one section arranged in each phase of' the secondary circuit of the motor.

As illustrated, each of the. protecting devices or relays comprises a switch .23 having a plurality of actuating windings ll, and 26. The purpose of providing a plurality of windings for each relay device is as follows: 1n induction motors of the type disclosed, the frequency of the secondary circuit decreases as the speed of the motor increases. llence, when the motor attains a high speed, the frequency of the secondary circuit is very low. It is, therefore, obvious that if a single winding was relied upon to actuate each relay device, the relay devices might respond and almost immediately return to normal position before normal conditions were restored in the motor. As will be hereinafter set forth, each of the accelerating switches is adapted to respond immediately upon the return of its corresponding relay to normal position and at the same time render its corresponding relay thereafter inoperative. 'lhus, if the relay devices returned to normal position before normal conditions were restored in the motor, they would fail to perform the function for which they are provided; that is, to check the operatmn of their corresponding acceleratirg switches as long as abnormal conditio... exist in the motor. On. the other hand, I have lcund that by pr vitling a plurality of coils or each relay and connecting said co ls in llil tlfllll; phases oi the secondary ci cut .:at when the relays once respond.

\l'ey wi l not return to normal position until r iruia conditions a re restored. and this notithst incline the fact that the freipiency in the stcontlary circuit may b very low. In the (lrr ings, l have shown each relay provid -d with as many coils as there are phases in the secondary ciicuit; but, of course, this would not be necc ii-y where the motor had a multiplicity of 'vhascs in the secondary circuit. The numb r oil coils need only be sullicicnt to ins re a substantially constant resultant or ('filllllllltl l pull.

It should. of course be understood that relay devices may be .l' various dillerent tonstruciiom and that my present invention is not limited to the particular form of relay device illustrated. it should also be under stood that varic 5 arrangements may be em l of said windings to a common point.

ployed in practice for adiusting the relays to respond under dill'errnt predetermined conditions. In fact. the relays might be adjusted in any of the well known ways for adjusting direct current relays.

The circuit connections for the controller will be fully and clearly set forth in the following description of the operation thereof.

The operating wim'lin rs ot the several switches are initially controlled by a manually operated switch 3U connected to one of the main lines. Of course, in practice, the switch 30 may be of any preferred type. Current is supplied to the primary winding, or windings, of the motor from a three ,pliase alternating circuit, having three supply lines 31. 32 and 33. To initially start the motor. the switch 3 should first he closed. Assuming that all of the switches are in the position illustrated, closure of the switch 30 would com lete a circuit from main line Si by conductor 33, through the auxiliary contacts 17 of all of the accelcrat ing switches, hy conductor 36 through the operating winding; l. l of the main switch 1 to main line 32. The winding ll being thus connected across one phase of the primary circuit, becomes energucd and closes the main switch. Closure of the main switch 1 connects main line 351 to one terminal of the motor, and main line it! to another terminal thereof. Main line 321 is shown as permanently connected to a third terminal of the motor. Closure of the switch 1 thus coinpletes the primary circuit of the motor. Current then flows in the secondary circuit of the motor. One phase of the secondary circuit passes from the brush of slip ring 3 by conductor 37, through resistances 20. 21 and by conductor 38, through the winding 26 of relay 11. A second phase passes from the brush of slip ring 4 by conductor 39, through the. resistances 20, ll and E22 by conductor l0, through windim 25 of relay 11. The third phase extends trom slip ring 5) by cont'luctor ll. through resistances 20*, 21. and 29 by conductor 4-13, through the winding i -l; of relay ii. The lower terminals of all of the windings of relay ll are electrically cormectcd. and hence. each phase ol' the sm-ornlary circuit extends through one it will thus be seen that the windings of the relay device 11 are, in cli'ect, star connected to the secondary circuit of the motor. This obviates the necessity of insulating the windings of the relay from one another and consequently simplifies the construction of the relay. Of course, the windings of the relay might be connected dill crently if preferred. Returning. now. to the effect of the closure of the main switch. ll will be seen that when the saintis opt-mated. it closes l in auxiliary switches 15 and it. Closure of the auxiliary switch 15 completes a maintaining circuit for the winding of the main switch which may be traced from conductor 35 by conductor 43, through switch 15 to conductor 36, and thence through the winding 14. This circuit parallels the auxiliary switches 17 of the accelerating switches and,'consequently, renders the same ineffective to open the circuit of the winding 14. On the other hand, the circuit of the winding 1% cannot be initially closed unless all of the accelerating switches are open and the switches 17 closed. Closure of the auxiliary switch 16 of the main switch 1 completes a circuit from main line 32 by conductors 44 and 45, through the switch 23 of relay device 11, by conductor i6, through the winding 8 of accelerating switch 8, by conductor 47, through the member 13 01? switch 1 to main line 31. The winding 8 is thus connected across one phase of the primary circuit and would become energized to close the switch 8, assuming that therelay device 11 did not respond. However, the main switch is arranged to close slightly in advance of the auxiliary switch 16, and thus allow suilicient time for the relay device 11 to respond to the initial inrush of current in the secondary circuit before the circuit of the winding 8 is completed. The relay device, if it responded, would thus open its switch 23, thereby preventing closure of the circuit of the winding 3 by the auxiliary switch 16. The provision of a plurality of windings for the relay, one connected in each phase of the secondary circuit, insures the retention of the relay switch in open position until nornial conditions are restored in the secondary circuit. Thus upon the restoration of normal conditions in the secondary circuit, the relay device 11 would drop its switch 23, thereby closing the circuit of the winding 8*. The winding 8 would then become energized and close the switch 8. Closure of the switch 8 short' circuits the resistances 22, and 22 from the secondary circuit and at the same time short circuits the operating windings of the relay device 11. This renders the relay device inc'll'cctive to again operate to open the switch 8. Upon closure of the switch 8, one phase 'of the secondary circuit, after passing through resistance 21, passes by conductor 48, through one side of switch 8, by conductor 19,. through the winding 24' of relay device 10. rAnother phase,

after passing through resisthnce 21*, passes by conductor 50, through the other side of switch 8, by conductor 51, through the winding 26 of relay 10. The third phase passes from resistance 21 by conductor 52, through the winding of relay 10. Thus closure of the switch 8 not only short circuits the resistances 2'22 and the relay 11, but also connects the windings oi the relay 10 in circuit. One winding of the relay 1) is permanently connected in one phase of the secondary circuit so that the windings thereof are, in effect, connected exactly like the windings of the relay 11. If upon closure of the switch 8 there is an. excessive flow of current in the secondary circuit, then the relay device 10 would respond to prevent closure of the accelerating switch 7. On the other hand, if the relay device 10 did not respond, then, upon closure of the switch 8, the auxiliary switch 19, operated thereby, would complete the circuit of the winding '7. This circuit would extend to conductor 4% as already traced, thence through auxiliary switch 19 by conductor 53, through swifa'h 23 of relay 10, by conductor 54, through the winding 7* to conductor 47. The winding 7 would then become energized and close the switch 7. Closure of the switch 7 would short circuit the resistances 21, 21 and 2-1 in the secondary circuit, and also short circuit the windings of .the relay device 10. At the same time, it would connect the wind ing of the relay device 9 in circuit in the same manner as switch 8 connects the relay 10 in circuit. Furthermore, closure of the switch 7 would cause its auxiliary switch 18 to close, therebycompleting the circuit of the winding G r-as soon as the relay 9 returned to initial position, if the same responded to an excessive flow of current in the secondary circuit. Closure of the switch 6 would short circuit the remaining resistances 20, 20 and 20". from the secondary circuit. One phase of the secondary circuit would then pass from slip ring 3 by corductor 55, through one arm of the switch 6. Another phase would pass from slip ring 5 by conductor 56 through the other arm of switch (3. The arms of switch (5 are electrically connected by conductor 57 which, in turn, is connected by conductor 58 to slip ring 4. V

In Fig. 2 I have omitted many of the i'caturcs shown in Fig. 1, but 1 hare shown enough of the controller to clearly illustrate the manner in which the same may be ap plied to a motor having a two phase secondary circuit. As a matter of: fact, the relay devices are the only elements of the controller shown in Fig. l which would have to he modified for application to a motor having a twophase secondary circuit. The "io-- tor 60, illustrated in this figure, may be us sinned to have either a three phase or three wire two phase primary circuit. The motor 0 is provided with slip rings 31, 62 and 33.

The slip rings are connected to three wires constituting a two phase se ondary circuit. llcsistances (3i and 135 are connected in one phase of the secondary circuit, while re-' sistanccs 6t and G5 are connected 1 in the otherphase thereof. The relay devices 66 and (l? are in this instance only provided with two operating windings G8 and 69, one

for each phase of the secondary circuit. The windings of the relay ()6 are preferably so connected that one phase of thesecondary circ it will pass from slip. ring 6 1 through rys a'aces ill and 5 and thoncc through the winning :3 of salt relay, by conductor 70, back to slip ring 6'2 The other phase will pass from i r' ig (33 through the resist a .ccs til ant. liar and thcncc through the' winding 54) of rclay (3G to conductor 70. It will thus he. scr-n that the. windings of the iclay 66 are. connrctcd in thc secondary cir- ;uit in sulrstantially tho same manner as the relays shown in Fig. 1. Upon closure of the. first accelcrating switch, the winding of the rclay U? will he. connected in the secondary ci: vuit in the same manner as the winding of the rclay (5S.

I shall now describe. the device illustratcd in Figs. 3 and Although this device is providcd with thrc windings, it should be uudarstood that a two v inding rclay might ho constructcd in tho same manncr. As illustratcd, tho scvcral parts of the dcvicc arc inountcd on a suitable insulating l): 71. lligidly mountml on tho liasc ii is a frame 7: prot'crahly formed of conducting inatcrial and pro idcd with a plurality of hollow cylindrical portions Supported by the frame T2- are a plurality of elcctronuignctic windings T l, the nuinhcr of which may he varied as dcsircd. Each of the windings as illustra tcd comprises a flat strip of conducting material wound spirally ah-out one of tho cylindrical portions of tho tramc. Tho inncr cnd of car i strip clcctrically connrctcd to the supporting fran'ic, wliilc thc con olutions thereof are scparatcd by suitable strips of insulating matcrial 75. it should lit. umhrstoznl. lmwcvcr, that the windings m ght la. fox-lord of wiro it proforrcd, and that said windings nccd not necessarily l c clr iall v conncctcd to thc sup orting iranic. Fulrrnrncd on a pin or rod s'i'oporiicd hr the. lramc 7'3 is an eiorgatod :nmnhcr i7. having a plurality of c indrical proiections 78 arranged to extcnd into the hollow cvlindrical portions of tho t'ranic. Tho incuihcr 77 thus forms a common armaturc for all of the clcctromagnets 7 1-. Tim nicmhcr 77 is also provided with an arm 79 which carries a contact disk -i) adapted to engage and. bridge a pair oi stationary contacts 81 and 8:2. The member 79 is prclcrahly 'normally held hy a. suitable tension dcvicc 83 in such a position that the contact disk carricd thereby will cngagc its stationary contacts. In practice, I prclcr to form the frame of brass and tho nn-n'iilcr 77 of iron. I also prcfcr to inscrt in thc and of cach of tho cylindrical portions of the t'rainl an iron plug 8 1: which acts as a 54PM.) for thc portions 78 ol tho member 77. To prevent the portions 78 of the frame from sealing with the iron plugs 84, I prci'cr to provide the formcr small projections 85. W'hcn the windings hcconio energized, they exert a pull on tin member 7?, thereby turning the same not; its pivot against thP. action of the tension device to withdraw the contact disk 88 from its stationary contacts. Vith this arrangement, it will he seen that the tension clerics may be adjusted to vary the conditions under which the contact disk is withdrawn from tho stationary contacts.

In tho device illustrated, it will or: that slots are pro ided in the cylind portions of the frame and also in the iron plugs. The purpose of these to viatc, so as possible, the production eddy currents.

Having thus described invention, what I claim asnew and desire to sccuic Letters latant, is

1. in a controller for alternating curr mctors, in combination, electro-icspcnsi moans for accelerating the. iciitor in and clcctro responsive circuit controlln moans thcrcfor necessitating: normal c trical conditions in all phases of tho ondary circuit prior to each step acccl oration.

3. In a. controller for alternating currsn motors. in combination, clcctro-rasponsivs means for accelerating the motor in steps and clcctro responsive circuit .controll 1g moans thc'refor rcsponsivc to abnormal currcnt conditions in any phase of the secondary circuit of the motor to prolong tire to intcrvals hctwccn tho stops of acceleration.

3. in a controller for alternating current motors, in combination, accclcrating nsans, and a relay device having a plurality of windings connected in different phases of r the sccondary circuit of the motor, said do vice being adapted to respond upon an cxccssivc llow of current through the motor to chock the operation of said means.

4. In a controllcr for alternating current motors, in combination, accelerating means, and a relay device having a. plurality of o' 'icrating windings, one connected in each phase of the secondary circuit of the motor, said device lacing adapted to respond upon an excessive flow of current through the mo tor to check the operation of said means.

5. In a controller for alternating current motors, in combination. accelerating means, anda relay dcvicc adapted to check the op- 12 oration of said means upon the occurroncc of abnormal conditions in the motor circuit, said relay device having a plurality 0E actuatin; windings connected in ditlcrcnt phascs of the secondary circuit of the motor, cacli of said windings having onc terminal thcrc of conncclcd to one terminal of each of the others of said windings.

6 In a controller 1' or alternating current motoi I in combination, a plurality of elem trorenpensive accelerating switches. and a plurality of relays, each adapted to control the circuit of the operating ninding ni' one of :Illll :-I\\lt(ill3 to prevent operation thereof while alinorn'ial eonditionF; ..t in the motor; .i-ill of said relays having a lluralitv ol operating windings eonneited in dilil-wnt phaer-c' oi the secondary eire zit ol' the motor,

T. In a rontroller for alternating ei rrent nimorz-, in eoinliinutioin a plurality of elee ilUl'LSllUllI-dltf arrelerating \'it 'lu} and a plurality nl' relaya vat-h adapted to eonirol the eirruit of the o; v 'ating winding of one of said rnviteheu to p ;\(nt operation thereol \'\'llllc abnm'nuil conditions exist in the motor. (-urli 01? said relav having a plxr ralitv oi operating winding ronneeted in dilierunt phat: oi' the ueeondanv rirruit of the inn-tor; and all of the windings ol' eu h relav lieing eleetr'eally connected bl In a controller for alternatiin (-urrent llrUIUlS, in eoznhination, an aeeelcrating Snitch, and a relay for (llC lh'illg the operzu tinn ol' lid snitch upon the OLHJlll'l'QHLQ of an ext-i n'e [low nl' current through the motor, said relay inning a pluralit o'l' operat ing windizv's,' one oi said windings being connm-ted in oath phase of the seeondar x eirenit of the motor.

in u. controller for alternutirig current illUtOl' in eoinliination, an :n' i elerating E Wlll'll and n relay for checking the opera tion of said switch upon the o'ieurrenee of an exrewsire flow of current through the inntor mud 3, having a plurality of ope-rat in; uiialinu} one ol raid windin s being eoniuxvtml in eaeh plnise of the senondnri (IJZCHlt of the motor, said snitch when actuated, being urrangred to short-circuit all of the operating windings of said relay.

10. Tu a eoutrolh-r for alternating current motors, in ronibination. a plu 'ality of elec-- trorawntunim zmelriating switches, ar ran d to operate F--!C(IU Rely, a relay :wuin-h arranged in circuit with the operab in; winding of xarh aeeeleixrting switch, and a plnrulii of operating winding}; tor (ut'li relay awitrh eonne gted in dilferent 9a of the etvulaiw circuit of the motor,

witch-s being arranged to renpnn ran einegsire flow ot' current 'ilugh the motor to who ;-L'the surressi've epemtinn of the ae-i 'leraling' i\\lifll.

ll. in a oute oller tor altemuting eurrent inntora in ionr ination. a plurality of eleetrorefipni fie ueeelerating switrlies, 21rrangfed iomperate surressively, n. relay switrh arranged in circuit n ith the operating windings of eaeh areelerating switch, a plurality ot operating; \i'indingsl'or each rela switch rennet-ted in different phaees ot the secondary eirruit of the motor, said relay S\\li(fl1tfiv lining ar angled to reupond upon an OXWJ i e flow of current tlnwiugh the motor to eheel; the successive operation o'l' the acrelerating switches, and ('ireuit mnnertions for causing eaa-h ureelerating EWlifjll, when actuated, to Shortrireuit the windings of its eorreq oinling rel-a) switch, and to eonneet the \iinding'i ol' the relay switrh of the next su 'reeding uecele ating switeh in circuit.

In witness whereof. I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR SIMON.

\Vitnesses:

lhumn I-l. I-lL'nnAnn, WA 'rin: E. bixnunxr. 

